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Tag: Arthur Engoron
April 22, 2024
Breaking

Letitia James Loses Frivolous Attempt to Call Trump Bond Payment Into Question.

New York Attorney General Letitia James took another loss on Monday morning in her ongoing attempt to persecute President Donald J. Trump. Democrat-linked Judge Arthur Engoron upheld the renegotiated $175M bond secured by Trump in the NY “fraud” trial.

James had questioned the insurer that posted Trump’s bond’s financial status and regulatory compliance and, in a court filing, challenged the “sufficiency of the surety” provided by Knight Specialty Insurance Company (KSIC).

Despite her ongoing attempts to force Trump to pay more, James’s case was effectively turfed out by Engoron, who made some small monitoring amendments to the rules to placate the New York AG.

Letitia James’s office is said to have spent more time on the politically-motivated cases against Donald Trump than almost all other crime in New York put together, costing taxpayers time, cash, and safety.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James took another loss on Monday morning in her ongoing attempt to persecute President Donald J. Trump. Democrat-linked Judge Arthur Engoron upheld the renegotiated $175M bond secured by Trump in the NY "fraud" trial. show more
March 22, 2024
Ed Kozak
Lawfare
News
Politics

Left-Wing Mag Admits Trump NYC Fine is Politically Motivated.

Leftist magazine The New Republic (TNR) admits that the fine Judge Arthur Engoron handed former President Donald Trump for alleged business ‘fraud’ in New York is exceptional and politically motivated.

Writes TNR:

Is New York State treating Donald Trump differently from other real estate scofflaws in requiring him to disgorge $454 million by Monday? Yes. Would another such person who lied to banks and insurance companies about the value of his real estate holdings become the target of a major investigation by the state attorney general? Probably not. Was Judge Arthur F. Engeron, in handing down last month his $454 million judgment against Trump, trying to banish Trump from New York’s real estate industry? Possibly so.

TNR then goes on to quote a number of sources explaining how and why Engeron’s move is unprecedented. Clifford Robert, one of Trump’s lawyers, explains that the fine is “’the definition of an unconstitutional Excessive Fine and a Taking’ because, should Trump win on appeal, he’ll have suffered ‘harm that cannot be repaired.’”

Rich Lowry of the National Review observes that, “Tish James has used the power of the state to attempt, with some success so far, to destroy [Trump’s] business that he’s built over decades and humiliate him personally.”

Even the Washington Post, TNR points out, ponders if it is “fair to require Trump to post a bond of this magnitude to be able to appeal the judgment against him?”

TNR’s concession follows a similar admission from The New York Times that Trump’s bond in the case is “impossible” to pay.

Of course, putting Trump in an impossible situation may well have been the point. Attorney General Letitia James is already moving to seize Trump’s real estate assets.

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Leftist magazine The New Republic (TNR) admits that the fine Judge Arthur Engoron handed former President Donald Trump for alleged business ‘fraud’ in New York is exceptional and politically motivated. show more
March 22, 2024
William Upton
Lawfare

Judge Engoron Gives ‘Independent Monitor’ Greater Control Over Trump Org.

The Trump Organization will now face increased scrutiny from former federal judge Barbara S. Jones following a court order on Thursday related to alleged bank fraud committed by former President Donald Trump. Jones has been monitoring the Trump family’s New York real estate empire for over a year. New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron instituted the enhanced monitorship when he ordered the former President to pay the shocking sum of $464 million in February after finding him culpable for alleged civil fraud.

Since November 2022, the Trump Organization has been mandated to inform Jones of any capital shifts of more than $5 million or substantial business engagement. Judge Engoron’s new order permits Jones to take additional measures to ensure the Trump Organization doesn’t involve itself in suspect business practices. Jones now has the authority to review the company’s “day-to-day operations,” accounting records, and internal communications. Additionally, Jones may hire outside resources as needed, with the cost being borne by the Trump Organization. Engoron described the new order as “a productive and enhanced monitorship.”

In February of this year, Judge Engoron ruled that Trump reportedly inflated the value of his assets in a bid to make additional financial benefits available to his company through loans and insurance policies. The left-wing judge made several determinations regarding Trump’s property holdings, which have drawn vocal criticism from legal and real estate experts. The most egregious was his ruling that the former President’s private Palm Beach, Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, was worth only $18 million.

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The Trump Organization will now face increased scrutiny from former federal judge Barbara S. Jones following a court order on Thursday related to alleged bank fraud committed by former President Donald Trump. Jones has been monitoring the Trump family’s New York real estate empire for over a year. New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron instituted the enhanced monitorship when he ordered the former President to pay the shocking sum of $464 million in February after finding him culpable for alleged civil fraud. show more
March 21, 2024
Breaking
Lawfare

Letitia James Moves to Seize Trump’s Westchester Golf Course.

New York Attorney General Letitia James initiated legal action in Westchester County, NY, targeting properties belonging to former President Donald Trump, including his Seven Springs golf course and private estate. This move follows a court ruling in which New York Judge Arthur Engoron declared Trump guilty of civil fraud and passed an order demanding he pay $464 million in disgorgement and interest.

Dismissing Trump’s assertion of an inability to secure a bond for this substantial amount, James signaled her readiness to seize the past president’s assets as an alternative method of payment. A representative for James on Wednesday submitted a legal filing, urging the court to reject what was termed Trump’s “extraordinary request” to appeal without posting the full amount ordered, an amount Trump deemed “practically impossible” to offer.

State attorneys formally lodged the judgments in the Westchester County clerk’s office on March 6th, CNN reported, noting that this action, the first required step to recover property, may be followed by additional moves such as imposing liens on assets or initiating foreclosure on properties among other court-sanctioned actions.

The judgment, which outlines Trump’s options as compliance, persuading an appeals court to allow the posting of a reduced sum, or a postponement until after an appeal, has also been filed in New York City, where Trump owns notable properties including Trump Tower.

Chris Kise, Trump’s attorney, criticized the AG’s legal action as blatant misuse of power, suggesting it was born of the political vendetta against Trump and contradicted New York law, risking lasting damage to the business community and the rule of law.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James initiated legal action in Westchester County, NY, targeting properties belonging to former President Donald Trump, including his Seven Springs golf course and private estate. This move follows a court ruling in which New York Judge Arthur Engoron declared Trump guilty of civil fraud and passed an order demanding he pay $464 million in disgorgement and interest. show more
March 21, 2024
Raheem J. Kassam
Lawfare
Media

WATCH: Now They Want Him to Sell It, Mar-a-Lago Is Suddenly Worth ‘Hundreds of Millions’ to CNN.

President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property is suddenly worth “hundreds of millions of dollars” to CNN and its guests, especially now they want him to sell it to meet the court-mandated bond fee of $454 million as ordered by far-left judge Arthur Engoron.

Speaking to CNN’s Erin Burnett, guest Bess Freedman said: “Mar-a-Lago, potentially that could be something that could be sold quickly. I think the valuation is something in the hundreds of millions and I think there could be a buyer for something like that.”

She added: “…there could be plenty of international people who want to buy that property. I mean, there’s properties that are priced at $150, 200 million that are nearby that and Palm Beach… it’s just shot up like a rocket and people do want to live there.”

[voting_poll post_id=”89956″] 

CNN Host Burnett then read out the Bloomberg valuation of Mar-a-Lago at $250 million. President Trump has recently asserted he feels the 1920s-era resort and home could go for over a billion. It has 62,000 sq ft on 17 acres of land and spans the street onto the beach. Judge Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James have listed the value of Mar-a-Lago as $18 million.

WATCH:

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President Trump's Mar-a-Lago property is suddenly worth "hundreds of millions of dollars" to CNN and its guests, especially now they want him to sell it to meet the court-mandated bond fee of $454 million as ordered by far-left judge Arthur Engoron. show more
March 19, 2024
Raheem J. Kassam
Election 2024

Even The New York Times Admits: Trump Bond Impossible to Pay Due to Regulations.

Even the “failing New York Times” admits that the bond being asked of former President Donald J. Trump is impossible to pay in order for him to have his civil fraud case ruling reviewed by another judge.

“Any insurance company that underwrote a bond for Donald Trump in his civil fraud case in New York would undoubtedly be criticized by those who don’t like the ex-president,” wrote Peter Coy in the Times.

“Chubb Insurance found that out when it underwrote a much smaller bond in E. Jean Carroll’s defamation suit against him. Chubb’s chief executive, Evan Greenberg, was forced to put out a letter saying, “We don’t take sides, it would be wrong for us to do so, and we are in no way supporting the defendant.””

Coy goes on to explain that insurance regulation is the real reason Trump can’t find the case required to begin the appeals process:

“…state insurance departments that regulate surety bond companies don’t allow that kind of business. It would be highly risky for insurers to accept real estate as collateral because its value is unpredictable and it’s hard to sell on short notice. Regulators don’t allow insurance companies to charge high premiums for taking on that kind of risk; they want insurers to charge low premiums for low risk.”

Similar sentiments were extolled by lawyer Jonathan Turley, who appeared on Fox and declared the matter unique and unfair.

WATCH:

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Even the "failing New York Times" admits that the bond being asked of former President Donald J. Trump is impossible to pay in order for him to have his civil fraud case ruling reviewed by another judge. show more
March 18, 2024
News

Trump Can’t Post $454M Bond for Civil Fraud Judgment.

Former President Donald Trump‘s legal team informed a New York appellate court on Monday that it is unable to post a bond covering the full sum of his $454 million civil fraud judgment for the duration of his appeal process. This comes as a result of a ruling last month by a state appeals court judge, which mandates the post of a full-sum bond to defer enforcement of the judgment, beginning March 25.

“Defendants have faced what have proven to be insurmountable difficulties in obtaining an appeal bond for the full $464 million,” Trump Organization general counsel Alan Garten wrote in court papers filed Monday. Trump’s defense has already engaged with 30 surety companies via four different brokers in an attempt to obtain the bond.

With accrued interest, Trump’s outstanding sum would be approximately $456.8 million. The total sum owed by Trump and his co-defendants is $467.3 million. According to Trump’s counsel, collateral valued at $557 million would likely be required to acquire the needed bond.

The civil fraud judgment levied against the former president was the result of a ruling by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron. He determined that Trump had excessively inflated his net worth to secure more advantageous loan terms. Trump was subsequently fined $354.8 million, followed by roughly $100 million in pre-judgment interest. New York AG Letitia James brought the case against Trump.

Despite the hefty fine, Trump confirmed his intention to contest the ruling. However, he is obligated to first pay the fine as a bond to New York State.

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Former President Donald Trump's legal team informed a New York appellate court on Monday that it is unable to post a bond covering the full sum of his $454 million civil fraud judgment for the duration of his appeal process. This comes as a result of a ruling last month by a state appeals court judge, which mandates the post of a full-sum bond to defer enforcement of the judgment, beginning March 25. show more
February 21, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Corruption
Politics

Letitia James Threatens to Seize Trump Tower.

Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James has said she will ask Judge Arthur Engoron, who has donated thousands of dollars to the Democratic Party, to seize Donald Trump’s assets if he does not pay a $355 million fine.

“If he does not have funds to pay off the judgment, then we will seek judgment enforcement mechanisms in court, and we will ask the judge to seize his assets,” James told ABC.

Judge Engoron’s law clerk and “co-judge,” Allison Greenfield, attended Democrat events endorsing AG James and Joe Biden, and his wife published vulgar social media posts attacking Trump and his lawyer, Alina Habba, during the New York trial.

ABC posited to James that Trump’s alleged fraud had “no victim, no one got harmed, the banks got paid back, so no harm no foul.”

James had no substantive answer to this, simply stating that “financial frauds are not victimless crimes” — despite the judgment against the former president being civil, not criminal.

Trump insists there was no fraud, that he undervalued rather than overvalued his assets when applying for bank loans, and that Engoron accepted questionable valuations of his assets.

There has been heavy criticism of an $18 million valuation of his Mar-a-Lago estate — which sold for the equivalent of $70 million in 1981 — in particular.

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Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James has said she will ask Judge Arthur Engoron, who has donated thousands of dollars to the Democratic Party, to seize Donald Trump's assets if he does not pay a $355 million fine. show more
February 20, 2024
News

Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary Says He’ll Never Invest in ‘Loser State’ NY After Trump Ruling.

Kevin O’Leary, a Canadian businessman and co-host of the U.S. television show “Shark Tank,” announced his decision to halt all future investments in New York on Monday, citing the recent judicial order against former U.S. President Donald Trump. Last week, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump must pay over $350 million and barred him from conducting business in the state for three years. The ruling relates to litigation brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, which alleged Trump artificially inflated property valuations used to secure advantageous business agreements.

In a Fox Business interview with Neil Cavuto, O’Leary referred to Trump’s actions as a “victimless crime” and expressed concerns about the Empire State’s business climate. The Canadian businessman and television host warned the ruling should make other companies apprehensive of doing business in New York.

O’Leary — a critic of New York’s regulatory framework — called New York a “loser state” and predicted companies would leave it in favor of “winner states” such as Oklahoma, North Dakota, and West Virginia.

The “Shark Tank” host previously attempted to establish a high-end data center in New York but encountered extensive regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles. He encouraged residents of New York to question why the state has been deemed unattractive for business. O’Leary added that the negative implications of the Trump ruling have extinguished any potential of his new venture being located in the state.

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Kevin O'Leary, a Canadian businessman and co-host of the U.S. television show "Shark Tank," announced his decision to halt all future investments in New York on Monday, citing the recent judicial order against former U.S. President Donald Trump. Last week, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump must pay over $350 million and barred him from conducting business in the state for three years. The ruling relates to litigation brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, which alleged Trump artificially inflated property valuations used to secure advantageous business agreements. show more
February 19, 2024
Ed Kozak
Election 2024

FedSoc Founder: Trump NY Case A Travesty On Par With Killing of Hamilton.

Steve Calabresi, founder and co-chairman of the influential Federalist Society, has compared the judgment against former President Donald Trump in a New York civil fraud trial to the killing of Alexander Hamilton. He also describes it as a “Stalinist nightmare.”

Writing for Reason, Calabresi states: “The civil fraud judgment against Donald Trump is a travesty, and an unjust political act rivaled only in American politics by the killing of former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton by Vice President Aaron Burr.”

“[NY AG Letitia] James and Judge Engeron have essentially turned a vaguely worded New York State law into a modern day Bill of Attainder targeted at Donald Trump both for political gain and because they despise his political views,” Calabresi explains. He claims that the ruling is a violation of several of Trump’s constitutional rights. These include his rights under the First Amendment, Fifth Amendment, Eighth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, and Article IV, Section 2.

“[P]residential politics will be permanently altered if a… State’s legal system can be used in this way,” Calabresi writes. “This case raises a national issue of profound importance,” he says. “If the New York State appellate courts do not address it, the U.S. Supreme Court MUST!”

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Steve Calabresi, founder and co-chairman of the influential Federalist Society, has compared the judgment against former President Donald Trump in a New York civil fraud trial to the killing of Alexander Hamilton. He also describes it as a "Stalinist nightmare." show more